Charles d



Aug. 27, 1929.

C. D. ZEIGLER.

PENCIL Filed Dec. 5, 1923 Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. ZEIGLER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR- TO BROWN & BIGE- LOW, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

PENCIL.

Application filed December 3, 1923.

My invention relates to pencils wherein means is provided for holding a marking lead in writing position within the pencil so that it is held firmly against backward movement and yet free to be fed by gravitation out of the writing end of the pencil.

The invention includes a very simple construction with a small number of parts which are arranged and positioned in a manner so as to readily operate to release the lead by pressing on the release button or head in the rear end of the pencil.

It is also a feature of the invention to provide a mechanism for extra marking leads Which is positioned about the operc ing means of the pencil so that the extra marking leads will not interfere with the operation of the parts but can be removed from the magazine whenever they are desired.

This pencil is adapted to include operat ing means which extends axially through the pencil and wherein a gripping member is held under spring tension in operating position and released into neutral position by pressing upon the release at the rear of the pencil barrel.

The features of my invention will be clearly set forth in the specifications and claim so as to full describe the same.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 is an enlarged, longitudinal, cross section of my pencil.

Figure 2 is a View of a portion of the pencil removed from the barrel or casing.

Figure 3 is a detail ofthe clutch or gripping member of my pencil.

Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 3 with the parts in a diiferent position.

I have illustrated in the drawings my pencil A which is of the ordinary shape and general dimensions used in mechanical penoils.

My pencil A is provided with a barrel 10 which is formed with forward conical writing end 11 having an opening 12 for marking lead 13 the rear end of which is formed with an opening 14.

My pencil A includes a lead operating and holding mechanism 13 which is held in the barrel 10 by friction or other suitable holding means, of ordinary construction, not illustrated in the drawing. The mechanism B includes a tubular member 15 which is Serial NO. 678,180.

provided with a head portion 16 at the rear end thereof from which projects an operating head or button 17. T he tubular member 15 is provided with a fixed stop 18 within the same. Stop 18 is provided with an annularly extending surface 19 against which the gripping disk or member 20 is forced or held by the coil spring 21. The spring 21 is held within the inner end of the member 15 by the disk or washer like member 22. Member 22 is held in the forward end of the tubular member 15 by biting the edge of the same under the member 22 or otherwise fixing the member 22 in place so as to hold the spring 21 under compression against the gripping member or washer 20. This forces the member 20 against the surface 19.

The gripping Washer 20 and the outer stop washer 22 are provided with central openings through which the lead carrying rod 23 is adapted to extend, as illustrated in Figure 1, and which carries a lead socket 24 on its outer end and is flattened at 25 on its inner end so that it will not disengage from the gripping washer 20 when it is allowed to slide forward. The socket 24 is adapted to hold the rear end of the marking lead 13. The stop member 19 is provided with a central opening 26 so that it is an equivalent of a washer member and through which the tubular member 27 is adapted to freely extend.

The tubular member 27 is open on one end to receive the rear flattened end 25 of the rod 23 and the open end of the member 27 is formed with a substantially straight edge 28 which extends in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal formation of the tubular member 27. In this manner the edge 28 of the member 27 is positioned extending into the opening 26 of the member 18 which forms a guide for the forward end of the member 27 with the edge 28 in a right angular plane to the axis of the rod 23 and the gripping member or washer 20.

Member 27 is adapted to extend into the head member 16 and is provided with an operating head or button 17 which is held in outer position by means of a coil spring 29 so as to hold the member 27 in backward position with the edge 28 away from the gripping member 20 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.

The parts of my pencil are assembled in position as illustrated in Figure 1 with the operating mechanism B removable from the barrel 10 as illustrated in Figure 2 so that the new. marking lead can be removed through the opening 30 from the magazine chamber 81 which is formed annularly about the member 27. Thus when a new marking; lead is desired -for use it can be taken from the magazine 31 and placed into the socket 24 after which the mechanism B can be reinserted into the pencil barrel illustrated in Figure 1.

Access to the magazine 31 may be had by removing the head member 16 from the rear end of the member 15 if it is desired. In this construction the head 16 is removed from the rear end of the member 15 when it is desired to secure a new marking ead.

In the operation of my pencil it is desirable to hold the conical end downward when it is desired to release the clutch mechanism formed by the gripping; member 20 the axis of the rod 23 and releases it from engagement with the rod, as illustrated in Flgure 4 of the drawings. When the button 17 is depressed and the mechanism B is released the marking lead 13 willslip freely out of the opening 12 the desired amount so as to provide additional projecting marking lead.

If it is desired to releasethe lead back into the pencil so as to protect the same it is only necessary to hold the pencil with the writing point upwards and the rear end with the releasing putton downward and then by depressing the button 17 the mark ing lead 13 will be released and free to slide by gravity back into the pencil barrel 10.

The gripping member 20 is formed of steel or other hard material so that it will readily grip or bite into the holding rod 23 by action of the sprin s 21 and the inclined surface 19. The releasing member 27 is of simple, inexpensive construction and operates freely to permit the lead to be pro jected or retracted by gravitation.

The simple inexpensive construction of my pencil is apparent and is of great importance in the manufacture of a pencil which will. freely hold the marking lead in writing position yet allowing it to be released so as to project the required amount without any complicated parts which will wear and get out of order so that they need to be replaced. The operating); mechanism extends axially through the pencil in a manner to provide an annular mechanism about the same which is freely removable from the pencil barrel when desired. The operation of the pencil is very effective and prm'ides a complete easily operated and desirable inexpet 've pencil. These details are highly essei tial where it is desirable to provide a pencil nominal cost.

in accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the drawings vrhi 1 illustrate the construction of: my ps1 l but I desire to have it understood that this is only illustrative and that the inventirn can be CUTiGCl out by other m ans and applied to other than those above set claim:

pencil including two telescoping tubumembers, one of which forms the barrel at the writing end of the pencil the other of which is adapted to telescope into the former member and forming a removable unit lead operating means, said unit including a rod extending therethrougrh, a. lead socket on the end of said rod a rod gripping washer positioned thereon, means for holding said grippingwasher normally in. gripping engagement with said rod. :1 tubu lar releasing member extending about said rod means for normally holding said lasttubular member out of operating position, said last tubular member forming; the inner wall or" a lead magazine formed thereabout in said removable unit.

CHAR-LES l). ZEIGLER. 

